“Jesus’ messianic claims were more than words. They were actions. His miracles, fulfillment of prophecies, sinless life, and divine insights in his teaching all proved he was the Messiah. He was doing messianic things, not just making messianic claims.”- Kyle Idleman and Mark E. Moore
“I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.”- John 10:25-26 (NIV)
In today’s blog, Kyle Idleman and Mark E. Moore conclude their discussion of the fifth passage the New Testament uses to form a portrait of the Messiah.
5. Christ revealed to the public (cont.). Jesus’ true identity sparked a lengthy debate. Because some people considered Him a prophet. While others claimed Jesus was the Christ. Most significantly, though, this little hullabaloo caught the attention of the Pharisees. Experts in Jewish texts, the Pharisees expressed outrage that the claims Jesus made bordered on blasphemy.
Thus, Jesus sparked a heated debate — without using the word Messiah. So, when Jesus asserted His preeminence over Abraham, the crowd tried to stone Him. Above all, Kyle and Mark note:
“So, at Solomon’s Colonnade, Jesus had been justified when he said, ‘I did tell you, but you do not believe’ (John 10:25). He had just claimed to be the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. What else could he be referring to but the Messiah? After all, the image of a shepherd was one of the major metaphors for the Messiah. Given the volatile political context around the Messiah, is it any wonder that Jesus first proved his role through actions before making overt claims?
Therefore, Kyle and Mark pose two questions for your consideration:
- What might you be overlooking that causes you to miss the Messiah?
- What assumptions have you made about Jesus that are influenced more by the world around you or your own preferences than the true picture painted for us in Scripture?
Today’s question: How do you witness when people doubt Jesus’ messianic claims? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Making Jesus something less?”